Thumb-knife.



E. D. ARWINE.

THUMB KNIFE. APPLICATION nun JULY 22, 1910.

Patented Aug. 8, 1911.

EUGENE D. ARWINEJOF SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA.

THUMB-KNIFE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 8, 1911.

Application filed July 22, 1910. f Serial No. 573,338.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE D. ARWINE, residing at SanJose, in the countyof Santa Clara and State of California, have invented a new and ImprovedThumb-Knife, of which the following is a specification.

. My invention relates to improvements in thatclass of devices=forpicking fruit and certain of the garden vegetables that are especiallydesigned for being worn on the thumb or fingers of the hand and it hasfor .its'object to provide a device of the character stated of a simpleand inexpensive construction, which while embodying the desired featureof rigidity, is so shaped that it does not interfere with the normalmovements of the first joint of the thumb, or in any manner interferewith such member during the operation of plucking fruits or vegetables.

With other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, my inventioncomprehends a metallic thimble having a severing member ing the blankform shown inFig. 5, by ref-' at the outer end, and a flexible portionfor extending back over the thumb joint provided with means for drawingthe inner end of the said flexible member tightly onto the thumb.

My invention in its more subordinate features. embodies a thimble knifehaving the peculiar construction and combination of parts, hereinafterfully described, specifically pointed out in the appended claim andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1, is a perspective view of my device, and illustrates the mannerin which it is used for plucking grapes. Fig. 2, is a similar view andshows the manner in which the thimble can be directed for severing thestems of apples, pears and the like. Fig. 3, is a longitudinal sectionof the device. Fig. 4, is a perspective view of the device looking attheunder side thereof. Fig. 5, is a view of the blank from which thethimble is bent up. Fig. 6,'is a plan ,view of a slightly modifiedarrangement of the cutting end. Fig. 7, is a transverse section on theline 7-7 on Fig. 3. Fig. 8, is a similar view on the line 88, and Fig.9, is a view of a slightly modified form of the flexible end of thedevice.

In the practical application of my invention and in its preferred shape,the thimble is bent up from a single piece of metal hav- .in a. lineereuce to which it will be observed the blank (I is of substantiallysegmental shape, the outer or small end I) being cut square acrossparallel with the longest arc of the blank in iea-ted by the dotted linea: and the said end 7) is ,cut out to form V shaped notches cc thatproduce the angle extensions (Z (Z and a central blade like member I 0.About midway their length, the opposite angle edges of the blank haveconeavities f, and at the inner or larger end of the blank is providedwith a number of short slots 9 the purpose of which will presentlyappear.

The blank a, when bent up forms a thimble like sheath 1, and in bendingthe blank to shape the angle extensions are turned inwardly to form aclosure 10 for the outer end of thimble, at a point back of the cutteror severing knife 6, the latter extending in the plane of the back orupper face of the thimble. The thimble 1 as will be clearly understoodfrom the drawings in practice is of a length and size to snugly sliponto the outer end of the thumb and with its inner end positionedforward of the first thumb joint so that thenatura-l movement of thesaid joint is not interfered with.

Heretofore in devices of this kind, means I of holding means,frompractical experience,

I have found as objectionable, especially since they restrict the use ofthe thumb and particularly interfere with the joint movement thereof. Inmy invention, special provision is made for conveniently securing thethimble on the thumb and yet leave the thumb unrestricted for itsnatural movements. For this purpose I use a fabric sheath or stall 2that extends down to near the cutting end of the thimble and is of suchlength that it continues far back over the outer joint of the thumb andthe said sheath 2 has its outer end provided with a draw string 3, fortightly drawing the said outer end of the sheath onto the thumb, as willbe clearly understood from the drawing,- it being also clear that anelastic hemmed in the outer end of the sheath, see Fig. 9,

will accomplish the same result. The cloth sheath 2 is made fast to theinnerside of the metal thimble by the stitching 4 that passes throughthe several slots in the curved end of the thimble.

By reason of the peculiar construction of my invention, as described andshown, the picker can readily use the thimble for severing differentkinds of fruit, and can easily adjust the angle or direction of thrustof the thimble knifeto suit the character of the stem to be severed; forexample, when picking a bunch of grapes (see Fig. 1) the thimble may beextended in an almost straight line, while in gathering applesff orangesand similar fruit, the thimble can be readily shifted to bring the bladeat the bottom to cut close to fruit by bending the thumb joint nearlyatright angles to the base of the thumb. Again by reason of forming theknife edge and the thimble as stated, the knife is not in the pickersway while handling the fruit (as in conveying the fruit from the tree orvine to the storing box or receptacle).

While on the score of economy of manufacture, I prefer to make the knifeedge an integral part of the thimble, it may be a separate membersecured to the thimble in any approved manner, see Fig. 6.

By forming the sides of the blank from which the thimble is bent. "upwith concaved recesses, a round hole 5 is provided in the bottom of thethimble that iscovered on the inside by the cloth sheath. This holecomes over the ball or palm of the thumb, and

thereby still further renders the thimble less cumbersome in its use asthe ball of the thumb can be utilized for gripping branches,

stems, etc.

Vhile I have especially described my invention as designed for cuttingfruit and vegetable stems, it is obvious it may be.

generally utilized for cutting twine when wrapping up merchandise andparcels.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to secure and claim byLetters Patent is:

A picking device of the character stated,

comprising a sheet metal blank bent to form. a thimble to inclose theend of a finger, one end of said thimble having a forwardly.

projecting cutter and the other end of said thimble being open andprovided with an annular series of perforations, a fabric finger stallto completely cover the end of a an annular pocket, and means in saidan--- nular pocket for drawing said open end of said fabric stall intotight contact with the finger of the user.

EUGENE D. Ali-WINE. Witnesses:

L. E. FE'I'REE, M. A. BUCK.

